The company’s Space Technology sector presented Gold awards to many of the best companies in the industry during its annual Supplier Recognition Conference. Suppliers and subcontractors were recognized for developing and delivering a broad variety of complex parts, processes and assemblies, from satellite buses to optical and radio-frequency payloads and components.

Alexis Livanos, president of Northrop Grumman Space Technology, challenged conference attendees to improve overall performance and to deliver predictable quality and value on set schedules. "We offer our customers solutions to tough technical challenges and we cannot rest until we've achieved a 99.9 percent success rate. What we do is just too important to the nation's security and economic well-being."

Space Technology’s rigorous Supplier Rating Program requires suppliers and subcontractors to participate in an ongoing performance assessment. Gold suppliers are selected on the basis of a scorecard that rates each supplier’s management, quality, technical, schedule and financial performance.

Gold status places those honored in a select group of Space Technology suppliers, allowing them to form relationships with the company’s supplier management organization and gain exposure to new project opportunities throughout Northrop Grumman’s business units.

“These suppliers and subcontractors are valued partners in helping us develop and build the world’s most sophisticated, leading-edge space systems and the most powerful and efficient high-energy lasers,” said Jim Myers, sector vice president for payloads and sensors. “Our 2006 recipients have demonstrated the kind of ongoing commitment necessary to meet our standards and those set by our customers.”

Many suppliers have instituted process and quality enhancements that match Space Technology’s process-improvement-driven business approach. “Northrop Grumman’s customers expect quality, on-time delivery, mission success and continuous improvement in affordability, schedule and technical performance and performance predictability from us. Our Gold suppliers partner with us in consistently and predictably delivering this high level of process improvement-driven performance to our customers,” noted John Daegele, sector vice president for production & supply chain.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With approximately 125,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.

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